Safety device



Dec. 25, 1945. J. J. PQRTE R 2,391,593

SAFETY DEVICE Filed June 13, 1944 Inventor Patented'fiee. 25,. E945 SAFETY DEVICE Joseph 3. Porter, Fall River, Mass. Application June is, 1944, Serial No. 540,126

1 Claim.

This invention relates to safety devices and more particularly to safety devices adapted for application to or used with gas stoves.

A primary object of this invention is the pro-' vision of a safety device which will prevent the complete extinguishing of the flre of a gas burner by the boiling over of liquid placed thereon.

A secondary object is the provision of such a device which will accomplish the above object without material reduction in the quantity of heat given off by the burner.

An additional object is the provision of such a device which may be applied to gas stoves or burners now in use without the necessity of modification of such burners.

A still further object is the provision of a safety devic for gas stoves which will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, sure and safe in operation, and durable and sturdy in construction.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Having reference now to the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown a preferred form of this inventive concept- Figure l is a top elevational view of the safety device of the instant invention shown in position on a gas burner, certain parts of the burner being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a bottom elevational view of the device shown in Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Figure 2 but reversed to upright position.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing. 7

Having particular reference now to Figure 1, there is generally indicated at ii! a gas burner of conventional type provided with an inlet ,pipe H for the flow of gas, holes 12 on the upper surface thereof through which the gas escapes to be burned, and the customary hole in the center of the burner. The safety device of the instant invention comprises a circular convex plate l3 (see Figure 3) of a suflicient diameter to overlie at least one ring of holes l2 in th upper face of burner ID. A cylindrical flanged portion I4 is formed integral with disk l3 and is provided with a shoulder IS, the diameter of portion l4 being sufficient so that shoulder l5 abuts and rests upon the outer rim of the centrally disposed hole in burner l0. Below shoulder I5 is a second cylindrical portion I6 of a diameter adapted to fit interiorly of the hole in the center of the burner. A centrally disposed bore l1 extends entirely through plate l3 and members or portions 14 and i6 and has, opening thereinto at a point adjacent shoulders i5 and hence the surface of burner ill, a plurality of holes l8, the purpose of which will be more fully set out hereinafter. Adjacent the periphery of .plate l3 and cut into the lower surface thereof is a circumferential groove l9 adapted to preclude the seepage of any water or other liquid striking the top surfac of plate i3, along the underside thereof.

In the operation of the device, the lower portion I6 is simply inserted into the hole in the center of the burner until the shoulder I5 is seated on the edge of the hole. The burner is then lit and the vessel containing the fluid to be heated or boiled placed on the supporting members above the burner in the customary manner. Now in, the event that fluid from thejvessel boils over such fluid may strike and extinguish the flame in the outer holes of the burner but convex plate l3 will protect the flame of at least one ring of holes so that as soon as gas begins to flow after the flow of water over the burner has ceased, it will be 'relatively promptly reignited from the flame in the remaining ring or rings of holes. By this construction it is impossible for boiling water or other fluid to completely extinguish the burner and hence all danger of gas escaping from an extinguished burner and occasioning suffocation or a subsequent explosion is eliminated. The ciroumferential groove l9 as above pointed out precludes the possible seepage of any water along the underside of plate l3. When the device is in use the under surface of plate l3 guides the flame from the inner ring of burner holes toward and into holes l8 and thence through bore ll to the center of the vessel being heated. Thus, there is substantially no loss of heat from those holes covered by plate or disk I3. It should here be pointed out that the device does not serve as a continuously burning pilot light and hence there is no loss of gas, other than what would normally be used in cooking.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device is reliable in operation and will continherein provided a device which may be either applied to existing gas burners or manufactured integrally therewith at the factory, and which accomplishes all the objects of this invention ineluding many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance. 7

As many modifications may be made in this inventive concept it is to be understood that all matter hererinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted to be merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a device for preventing the complete extinguishing of gas burners by overflowing liquid, said burners having centrally disposed holes and burner holes therein, a plate having a convex top surface and a flat lower surface, a cylindrical member of greater diameter than said centrally disposed holes but of lesser diameter than said plate coaxially associated with the undersurface thereof, a second cylindrical member coaxial with said first member and of less diameter than said centrally disposed holes, the arrangement being asouos such that said second member fits into said holes and said first member is seated on the edge thereof, said plate being of a diameter suiiicient to cover at least an interior ring of said burner holes but spaced therefrom by a distance equal to the length of said first-mentioned cylindrical member, whereby liquid overflowing a vessel placed on said burner is precluded from striking said covered holes, said safety device having a centrally disposed bore through the centers of said plate and said first and second members, and holes angularly disposed with respect thereto extending through the side of said first member at a level adjacent the flame from said burner holes whereby flame from said covered holes is conducted through said last-mentioned holes to said central bore and upwardly therethrough.

JOSEPH J. PORTER. 

